Attending a funeral ceremony? Swap those flowers with these alternatives

Time is changing, and so are the way funerals and memorials are celebrated.

Today, people are ditching the old ways of celebrating the deceased's life. From playing their favorite music to using their personalized things for decoration and cooking their favorite meal, these are some of the ways people choose to celebrate the lives of their loved ones. Michael Scarpaci, at Scarpaci Funeral Home of Staten Island, has been helping people arrange customized funeral ceremonies for them and their families.

Although flowers have been associated with funerals for many years, people have started to swap them with other alternatives due to various reasons. Maybe your bereaved friend doesn’t like flowers or flower arrangements may not seem an ideal way to show your love and affection.

If you’ve recently lost a close friend or family member and they don’t like the idea of keeping wilted flowers days or weeks after the funeral, then you may want to choose an alternative to sympathy flowers.

The following are the alternatives to sympathy flowers that you can choose to show your love and respect towards your bereaved loved one.

A potted plant - One of the major disadvantages of flower arrangements is that they wilt after a few days and eventually die. It is often disheartening for the deceased’s family to throw those flowers away. This is why unlike flower arrangements that are usually thrown to the dust bin, a potted plant can last longer and brighten up a room. However, it is advisable to choose a plant that requires minimum care and water to survive.

A charitable donation - These days, people are choosing to make a charitable donation then spending money on lifeless flower arrangements. After all, it is always better to opt for a cause that is close to the heart of your deceased loved one. For example, if your loved one was suffering from a particular disease, you can donate to organizations or charities helping people with cure and care.

Food - Another great way to tell the bereaved that you care is cooking food. It is one of the best ways to lend your support to the grieving family, as food would be the last thing they would be thinking after the loss. Therefore, you can either cook food for the bereaved or send a basket of muffins and cookies. Or, if you’re looking for a healthy option, a fruit basket is also a great option.
In closing

If you’re looking for a unique way to show your love and respect to the bereaved, then choosing one of these options is the best idea. 

Michael Scarpaci : 6 Ways to reconnect with yourself after the loss

Of course, the loss of a loved one is painful, says Michael Scarpaci. Michael and his team meets a variety of people grieving after the loss. In fact, Scarpaci Funeral home of New York has helped a number of people getting back on track after the grief.

Often, people feel a sense of loneliness or lose interest in activities they used to enjoy the most. Some people choose to stay at home, and others may shut away from the world. But do you know if this type of lifestyle goes on for a long time the person may not be able to heal? This is why it is important to keep yourself engaged in things that nurture you, even when you don’t feel like doing it.

If you or your loved one have been grieving over the loss of someone special for a very long time, it’s time to reconnect to life.

Here are some ways that help you reconnect with yourself after grief.

Look for the right opportunity to reconnect - Grieving is normal. Once you have been given enough time to yourself grieving, the next step is exploring to identify the right opportunity to slowly make a way to your routine life. It’s not necessary to look for big ways to re-engage in your life, you can begin with small steps. For example, you can call a friend or family member to have a conversation at least for a few minutes, you can meet a friend over a coffee for an hour, or can even go out to lunch.

Never try to run away from your feelings - Often, grief results in turbulent emotions and most of them are negative ones, which we try to avoid. You may experience some days when you will not feel like getting out of your bed. No matter how hard it is, don't beat yourself up for spending several hours in bed without food. Instead, accept your feelings and try to make new changes in your life.

Don’t shy away from seeking others’ help - Never hide from your friends and family about how you are feeling after the loss. It is good to seek support and companionship from your loved ones in your hard times. Don’t shy away from asking them to regularly check on you and invite you for family or friends gatherings.

Takeaway

Everyone griefs after the loss of their special ones. It is very normal. But one thing you need to keep in mind is that grief is a process, not a prolonged event. This means no matter what, you need to resume your normal activities after a certain period. If it’s difficult for you, there is nothing bad in reaching out to others for help.